You really need to have the route set specifically for the tools. They don't work well on every hold and that can be frustrating. They can be fun if the route setter knows what they are doing. Furnace Industries is a good company, and will train route setters if your local gym is interested.

Yep, I have a set and they work, but you really have to have a route set for them otherwise there isn't likely to be enough holds set that will work with them. They've sat in my gear closet for 2 years not being used.

They work great on 5.6 jug hauls. I've used them and would never use them as a training tool. I think they build bad mixed climbing technique for a number of reasons. Ultimately I think there a bit of a toy and lose there appeal quickly.

Max Forbes wrote:They work great on 5.6 jug hauls. I've used them and would never use them as a training tool. I think they build bad mixed climbing technique for a number of reasons. Ultimately I think there a bit of a toy and lose there appeal quickly.

first of all, if you climb ice like you would climb with one of those gadgets indoors, you are in trouble. secondly, ice/mixed is all about pick placement, efficiency, technique (back to point 1), and staying relaxed, none of which can be trained with that stupid thing.

so what can you do at home? get a broomstick, cut two lengths, drill a hole in one end and hang them up with a cord.

a few hundred pull-ups a day will help keep the pump awayif you manage to find ice,one day.

edit: oh and if you find a fat dead tree standing sturdy, that's a better way to simulate and you could do some laps on that.

I do traverses with them and find they train my grip, endurance, body positioning, feet and, most importantly, maintaining that handle angle and directing force on the more marginal holds. They have a tendency to blow off the more marginal holds, though, in a different way than a pick placement.

My local gym has easy routes set on all the exterior walls, though, so there's a pretty good supply of jugs.

Obviously, they don't train you for pick placements, angles or other tooling techniques and if you're going to Tarzan swing or dyno on just giant jugs, you're missing the point and building bad habits.

I own a pair of these. I do love them but the rubber is too soft, so they like to roll off smaller holds. Once the rubber wears out I'll probably "resole" them with less rubber and something more dense. Overall definitely worth the money.

Clay Hansen wrote: I own a pair of these. I do love them but the rubber is too soft, so they like to roll off smaller holds. Once the rubber wears out I'll probably "resole" them with less rubber and something more dense. Overall definitely worth the money. Edit** I should mention make sure the gym is cool with you using them first.

Do you keep them on a dedicated set of tools?

Another thing that I meant to mention is that it's kind of a pain in the ass to constantly switch out picks. So, unless you have a dedicated set of tools, and you're anything like me, you'll probably just use the Escape picks in the fall.

If I had an extra set of tools laying around, I'd definitely buy some, though. Maybe I should look for some used Fusions. . . .

AThomas wrote: Do you keep them on a dedicated set of tools? Another thing that I meant to mention is that it's kind of a pain in the ass to constantly switch out picks. So, unless you have a dedicated set of tools, and you're anything like me, you'll probably just use the Escape picks in the fall. If I had an extra set of tools laying around, I'd definitely buy some, though. Maybe I should look for some used Fusions. . . . Edit: PS, geartrade.com/item/475388/d...

No dedicated tools sadly, although that would be ideal. I switch them in and out on my nomics. It is mainly a fall training tool, but if I go a while without climbing I'll toss them back on to maintain my overall fitness for ice/mixed. It only takes 10 minutes or so (maybe not even that) to swap the picks but overall I do think they're worth the money.

AThomas wrote: Do you keep them on a dedicated set of tools? Another thing that I meant to mention is that it's kind of a pain in the ass to constantly switch out picks. So, unless you have a dedicated set of tools, and you're anything like me, you'll probably just use the Escape picks in the fall. If I had an extra set of tools laying around, I'd definitely buy some, though. Maybe I should look for some used Fusions. . . . Edit: PS, geartrade.com/item/475388/d...

I had my Escape picks on a dedicated set last season but I sold that pair this year. Changing picks shouldn't be a deterrent, takes me longer to unload my dishwasher.